Swivel has posed: It's easy to start feeling caged in. Swivel had felt it often since becoming an Autobot. Even before. During that uncertain time when even as a courier there were forces pushing her to the Autobot center of activity. But not today. Swivel was taking her time off to exert her illusory freedom why she still could. She made no efforts to hide her plans to head to the polity. What need was there of secrecy?

"Well, glad y'unnerstand. I mean, I really dinna expect ta be callin' in so many favours at once but... yanno. Still. Glad t'see you keepin' busy. Us couriers loik t'be on the move, yeah?" Swivels voices can be heard as she steps out of a small office building with several spaces for lease. Walking with her is a stout mech, not much taller that her, with a black and red paint job. "You know it. Except you aren't a courier no more." The mech seems keen to point out. Swivel just rubs the back of her helmet, laughing a little. "Got me there. Well even ex-couriers can get fidgety." Swivel's sheepishness fades away and she glances at the mech with a genuine smile. "Even so... thanks fer everything."

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive had to get away. He was tired of it. He's been doing his best and yet nothing seems to be going right. Yes he managed to come back with Blurr in one piece. But did that stop them from picking on him? NO. He still feels absolutely awful about Washer and his once best friend Barreler. He still feels terrible guilt about Tap-out. Now even Swivel seems to be avoiding him. And part of his mind keeps jumping to the fact that she knew Washer. Iacon just wasn't the place to be. So whether he was allowed to or not, Hyperdrive skipped down and just drove in a direction until he ended up in Rodion.

Now once here, no one knows him. WHich is a good thing. But there was still alot of kinda gloomy or bored faces. So Hyperdrive found a nice little spot and decided to work on that act that Swivel saw before. He's worked through the whole thing, the rings becoming a barrel that he's balanced on and it looks like he's managed to brighten the day of quite a few of the locals. Hyperdrive's formerly gloomy expression has faded and in his little cup before him, he's aquired some shanix. So once done and the crowd disperses. Hyperdrive takes up his cup, counts his creds and glances around. Yep, he's seen them. those who don't have much of anything, who haven't had the 'luck' that hyperdrive has had. Keeping a few for himself, he walks around the edge of the square and gives some of what he earned to those who looked too shy to come out, the old guy with the worn out leg and a couple others who had favored him with smiles while he was performing.

Swivel has posed: "I'd say it's no problem but... you were being really vague about this favour!" The red and black mech responds, crossing his arms. He looks as though he were about to say more when something caught his attention. "Now what's drawing a crowd over there?"

Swivel had also been staring, not even hearing the remark from the other mech. Distractedly she utters a 'goodbye' to the mech, who just sort of shrugs and lets her go. Swivel approaches as unobtrusively as she can to where Hyperdrive is sharing his pittance with the less fortunate. She doesn't say anything, however, she just observes him.

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive wanders back to his spot and sits on the barrel. Becoming lost in his own thoughts. He hasn't spied Swivel. THe mech's optics barely come up from the one sparkling orb that he's got in his hands, looking at the patterns that are in it. A soft sigh vents from his frame. At least he made some people smile.

Swivel has posed: Swivel observes Hyperdrive a while longer before making her presence known. The mech she was with has gone his own way, and some of those whome Hyperdrive bestoed his charity upon are already making sure they can spend their windfall before it can be taken from them. Swivel glances at them, momentarily taken back to her own hard knocks in the past. Hand outs were... well pretty much half of what she relied on. Wincing inwardly, Swivel glances back at Hyperdrive. As much as she tries to find something to say, she can't. She just can't. Her mind is too full to make sense of presently, and instead, she begins to walk away.

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive would have probably looked up if Swivel had made a sound but as she remained silent, he didn't bother to look up from the introspection of the orb in front of him. At least not until a sound or maybe a flash of blue got his attention. But that's just in time to see her walking away from him. He frowns and his shoulders droop. Putting the ball away he wraps his arms around his knees, watching her walk away before he turns his head and it down dejectedly.

Swivel has posed: It isn't long before Swivel disappears down a a southbound street, leaving Hyperdrive alone with his miserable, dejected thoughts.

Well perhaps not entire alone. A mech with one arm silently sits down beside Hyperdrive. He doesn't look directly at the cadet, but just stares across the square in an odd silence. He is shabby to say the least. If the lacking of an arm wasn't enough indication, the mech is caked in grime in some places, covering what might have once been a gray and red paint job. Or maybe it was supposed to be black or white. It's faded and obscured with dirt and some small rust spots seem apparent. The mech's frame is thin, and the narrow cockpit on his chest suggest he may be a flier, or was one once. But the sorry panels for what might have once been wings just appear as slipped slabs of metal barely protruding from his back. His narrow, blue optics barely emit any glow as they stare on in silence. And yet when the mech speaks, it stands to reason he is speaking to Hyperdrive. "Where did you learn stunts like that? I doubt they teach that at the Autobot Academy."

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive turns his head, surprised to have a visitor. He isn't sure exactly what to say at first before finally answering, "I...don't really know. I just realized I was really good at some stuff and pushed myself ta see what else I could do. I've always been good at jugglin stuff and knowin where ta throw things ta get them ta land just right. And I'm pretty sure they'd frown at what I do at the Autobot academy. But I've not been there terribly long and so far I've not been the best at makin friends. At least not in any quantity.

Swivel has posed: The mech nods his head, his long, angular features seeming to emphasize a wretched gauntness. "So you just got talents. Or subroutines." The mech offers a unilateral shrug, still not staring directly at Hyperdrive. "Seems a damn shame to waste talents where they ain't appreciated." The mech scratches his long, hooked nose with a single slender servo. "And Autobot Academy semms to me the worst place to make friends. All getting ready to run out and die. Lousy place for friendships."

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive frowns a little and draws out a small box, offering it to the old timer. "Here...energon 'treats' if ya will. I sometimes carry a little extra causa my forcefield. If I don't use the field I don't need them but I get allowanced it. Luckily I'm small and they don't sit there and take tally every time I go and get the extra since I don't use all that much in the first place." He offers the old timer a sad smile, "I didn't join the bots ta make friends...I joined causa my friends. And now they're gone. And now I've lost the trainer who was helpin me finish my classes. I really only have one left that I call my best friend. She means everythin ta me and some of the others have given her flack because of it. That's why I ended up over here. I...just had ta get away from everyone fer a bit. It was nice makin everyone smile fer a bit. And whether its talents or subroutines or whatever...It's just fun ta do."

Swivel has posed: The mech's optic ridges raise in some surprise when the box is offered. He reaches for one, hesitates, but then snatches it hungrily. He then flails at the box. "Put it away. Put it away! Inviting trouble with your little box but... you seem kind. Too kind. Friends brought you to the red? Friends? Or agents of the Powers? You sign your life over to the Powers That Be and it all goes south from there." The mech turns to look down the street Swivel had headed down. "It all goes south from here. That's where all the dead folk go. Problem is they don't realise it yet. Cling to life, though life given up on them. Clinging to ghosts in the machine. The machine of society. Not even cogs anymore. Cogs got a use. A purpose. Replaceable, but got purpose. Transformation all begins with one, you know. Turning. It's got a purpose. I ain't got one, though. Not anymore. They stole my purpose. And I can't turn. Just go straight. Straight south. But... it's nice to rest here for a while and see something lively. Reminds me... of things."

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive says, "They were my friends.....they didn't plan on becomin bots at first. I used ta help them make some creds too. Then they joined and shortly afterward they got slagged by the cons while the other one was kidnapped by them. So pretty sure they weren't agents." He put the box away though he'd been willing to offer it to the mech. "My other friend went that way but she didn't stop ta talk ta me. Not even ta say hi or say not ta follow her or anything. I don't know if she's mad at me cause of the mech that died. I'm frustrated and I'm not sure where I fit in anymore. I try and do a good job and it just seems like I'm only good at making a mess."

Swivel has posed: The mech bobs his head, although there seems to be something off. He doesn't seem entirely present. Still, he stares off at nothing. "I see I see. That word. I. Me. My. It comes up a lot. Hard to talk without it. Isn't it?" The mech examines his single hand for a moemnt, as if expecting to find something new. But then he just screws his face into a hideous frown and slams his hand down on the ground. But almost immediately, he wears another blank expression as his gaze shifts down towards the southern area of Rodion. The slums. "I noticed her. I noticed her. I noticed her noticing the others. All the others. Didn't give us anything, though. But she had optics that see and don't turn away." The mech mumbles something small beofre his voice grows to an audible volume again. "I. Me. My. I try. I don't fit. Mad at me. My friends." The mech shakes his head. "Why did you give me of the box? Why give to the scramblers here?"

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive says, "Cause...yas shouldn't be forgotten. Twist of fate and anyone livin up in the towers of Iacon and the other fancy places could be here. Or could be on a front line or could be dead. We had a nice place but it got destroyed. We mighta died but we didn't and the bots saved us. My friends lost everythin I guess and decided ta join the bots. Guess havin a secure roof over yer head and free meals mighta been a sellin point at the time. Or gettin back at the cons who destroyed the buildin. I don't know. I guess I wasn't really thinkin all that much before. I joined causa them. Not cause I believed in anythin at the time really. But now I'm there cause she is too. And I'm not gonna leave her without a friend. Even if she is mad at me. I can survive without a couple meals and if what little I have helps others, then why not share it. I...don't remember not havin anythin....I don't know much past when my friends found me. But I coulda ended up in a bad spot if they'd not taken me home with them."

Swivel has posed: Slowly, the mech stands to his feet. He finally looks at Hyperdrive. That distant almost addled gaze seems gone, and there is a sharpness to his blue optics as he narrows them. "Comes naturally. Doesn't it? Loyalty to a person. Just as natural as juggling. Give up everything. Deface yourself. But never forget to smile and make sure the others are smiling too." The mech turns his head away abruptly and begins to hobble away. "It's the smiles... we could never resist the smiles..." he mutters.

Hyperdrive has posed:Hyperdrive is a bit confused by the old timer. Probably more confused by alot of things then just him. He stands and gathers his barrel which he puts away. He then looks in the direction that Swivel went, contemplating if he should follow or if she is coming back or if he should just head back to base. Too many possibilities.

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